Beretta's 682 O/U has undergone several changes over the years - and all for the good.
By Mike George
Monday, 09 January 2012
In 1984 Beretta brought out a new O/U designated the 682. It was a replacement for the 680, which had been their main competition gun for the previous decade, and it was to prove an enduring design.
GUN EXPERT: Mike George
USEFUL BUY: Beretta 682
SECONDHAND COST: £1,900
The model has survived for 28 years with very few changes – all of which have been improvements - and has probably won more Sporting events than any other gun.
In its heyday the 682 Sporter scored winning performances at the very top level, in the hands of aces such as George Digweed and Barry Simpson, while trap and skeet versions won their fair share of top-level victories, too.
In the middle 1980s, when I first joined the staff of this magazine, I thought I ought to have an up-to-date gun, so I bought one.
It was the best-engineered gun I have ever owned, but in some other aspects it disappointed.
I found it heavy and a bit ‘numb’ in handling terms, and didn’t keep it long. I should have put off buying it for a few years because, without making any changes to its general operating principles, Beretta were to improve it hugely.
The first, and only really major, change was to slim down the very thick-walled action, and give it the same, slightly narrower, action as the 686 and 687 models.
A minor change to the guide rods on which the coil main springs run solved a small reliability problem, and the rather chunky woodwork was slimmed down, too.
In fact, the woodwork has changed several times over the years.
Once-fashionable palm swells came and – thank goodness - went, as did schnabel-style fore ends, and the pistol grip has become a little deeper over the years.
And barrels, once the Beretta standard of .619 inch internal diameter instead of the UK standard of .629, now have the maker’s wider ‘Optima’ bore and their ‘Optimachoke’ multichoke tubes to match.
Choke tubes can be either flush-fitting or extended.
The result of all these changes has been a gun which feels lighter and livelier than the original, although most new guns still weigh in at around 7lb 15oz, which puts them on the slightly heavy side for Sporters.
Depending on the model and its age, actions can be bright silver or black, but all have relatively simple engraving.
The current gun is the 682 Gold E, of which there are Sporting, trap and skeet models.
Sporters and trap guns are available with adjustable stocks at extra cost.
Sporters are all multichokes, while trap and skeet variants are fixed. There never has been a 682 field version.
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